FLOATGEN is co-financed by the European Commission’s 7 th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Innovation. PRESS KIT Ideol: Marie Bayard-Lenoir, Communication Officer [email protected]Tel : +33 (0) 6 09 77 81 15 Ecole Centrale de Nantes: Valérie Chilard, Head of communications [email protected]Tel : +33 (0) 630 817 069 Bouygues Construction : Jessica Swiderski, Press relations manager j.swiderski@bouygues- construction.com Tel : +33 (0) 130 602 805 France’s first offshore wind turbine laying the foundation for a new industrial sector
The offshore SEM-REV trial site, which was truly visionary in 2007,
has become a research tool with global reach and is now absolutely crucial to
the development of this new industrial sector in France.”
“Our investment in the Floatgen project demonstrates Bouygues Travaux Publics’ desire to highlight, within the sector of Renewable Marine Energies, our vast experience in the realisation of port and marine infrastructures internationally and within France. Concrete floats, produced on an industrial scale, will offer a competitive solution for offshore wind power.”
“Floatgen marks a crucial stage in Ideol's history and confirms our
position as an international leader. But it is also an important moment
for this new, emerging sector which is currently entering the phase of
commercial deployment.”
Armel de la Bourdonnaye,
Director of the École Centrale de
Nantes
Paul de la Guérivière,
Ideol executive officer
Benoît Lange, Bouygues
Travaux Publics commercial
director
“Floatgen is simply remarkable from a technological point of view and perfectly illustrates the Pays de la Loire region's ambitions within the maritime sector. The project, based within the Loire region and a world first, solidifies our position as the leading region for the new maritime economy and the first industrial hub for renewable marine energy in France.”
“The State brings its support to this particularly innovative floating wind turbine project, because it symbolizes the priority given to the deployment of marine renewable energies in order to reach targets
of energy transition, marine ambition and industrial and trade policy. This project will reinforce Pays de la Loire's strong
momentum around these objectives”
Nicole Klein, Regional Prefect
3
Summary
Floating turbines: the future of offshore wind power p.4
Floatgen: a landmark undertaking for offshore wind turbines p.6
Key data for the project p.7
Innovative in every way p.9
Floatgen: the floating wind turbine firmly anchored in its region of origin p.11
Timeline for this extraordinary project p.13
Project Partners p.18
4
Floating turbines: the future of offshore
wind power Offshore wind power is a developing sector which is becoming increasingly competitive. In terms of
sheer developmental capacity, the number of projects launched both in France and at the European
level speaks for itself. According to Giles Dickson, chief executive for WindEurope, an offshore wind
turbine has been installed approximately every day in Europe over the past two years. In total Europe
has installed at least 1,558 MW's worth of energy generated by offshore wind turbines in 2016 alone,
with a cumulative capacity of 12,631 MW.* Looking to the future, around 26.4 GW's worth of offshore
wind farms could be built during the next decade with projects containing a combined generation
capacity of 63.5 GW (the equivalent of the whole of the energy generated in France by nuclear plants)
in the planning stages. Furthermore, cost reduction has occurred rapidly, far more than initially
expected, primarily due to increases in the unit sizes of wind turbines (currently around 8-9 MW per
wind turbine) and to the capacity per project (over 1 GW for certain recent projects). The latest
tenders launched in Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have been awarded at prices
which are close to current market prices. It therefore seems that offshore wind power is a source of
energy that perfectly addresses current energy and climate challenges.
Floating wind turbines provide an ocean of possibilities. Wind energy, as the name would imply, is
produced by the force of the wind blowing either over land (land-based wind energy) or over the sea
(offshore wind energy).
Offshore wind turbines can be installed in two different ways: either attached to the sea floor (bottom-
fixed) or floating, i.e. floating on the surface of the water whilst being held in place by an anchoring
system.
Floating wind turbines have a number of advantages: unrestricted
by depth, they can be more widely deployed, therefore having less
or no visual impact from the coast, and can also endure stronger,
more constant winds, thereby increasing their capacity for
electricity generation. Floating wind turbines are the future of
offshore wind power.
* WIND Energy report – 2016
Over 3,590 wind turbines were
installed offshore around the
world at the end of 2016,
resulting in nearly 12.6 GW in
generation capacity. These
turbines are all bottom-fixed
with the exception of six floating
units currently in operation: one
in Norway, one in Portugal, and
four in Japan.
There are currently no wind
turbines – floating or
bottom-fixed – deployed in
France.
Bottom-fixed wind turbine Floating wind turbine
5
Floating wind turbines – an opportunity for France to become a world leader. A number of offshore
wind power projects are currently in various stages of development: 6 commercial projects for bottom-
fixed wind turbines with a generation capacity of 500 MW each (at the Tréport, Fécamp, Courseulles-
sur-Mer, Saint-Brieuc, Noirmoutier-en-l’Ile/Ile d’Yeu and Saint-Nazaire sites) and 4 projects for floating
wind turbines with a generation capacity of 25 MW each (for the Groix, Leucate, Gruissan and Fos-sur-
Mer sites) have been green lit with tenders in place by the French government, with deployment set
for 2020 and 2021. The French government has also started consultations for the purposes of
preparing a tender for commercial floating wind farms. France's potential in this area is a key aspect
as it is estimated at 6 GW (the equivalent of 3.6 EPR nuclear power plants) by 2030.
Among the floating wind turbine tenders that have already won, the EOLMED project is of particularly
note, as the winning consortium is led by Quadran Energies Marine (Quadran Marine Energy) and
combines Ideol's floating foundation system with Bouygues Travaux Publics's construction expertise.
The purpose of the project is the creation of the first Mediterranean wind farm, with four units to be
deployed off the coast of Gruissan, one of the largest wind deposits in Europe.
France benefits from the expertise of its companies, leading universities, research centres, and
industry players such as Ideol, the École Centrale de Nantes, and Bouygues Travaux Publics, and aims
to develop a competitive national industrial sector capable of exporting energy and becoming a market
leader.
The potential for floating wind turbines is vast – at the global level. Floating turbines are becoming
increasingly attractive around the world, with projects booming in Asia, the United States, and Europe.
A number of countries are active on this market. Japan is in the lead,
and is currently in the process of redefining its energy mix. The
Japanese Ministry of the Environment has forecast that by 2030
between 2.7 and 5.6 GW of its energy will be generated by floating
wind turbines, and in the mid-2018, it will install a demonstration unit
designed by Ideol.
Europe, the US, and Asia make up the most advanced and promising
markets for this sector. As the President of the European Wind Energy
Association, WindEurope, stated during the last FOWT conference on
floating wind turbines in Marseille, “Floating wind turbines will play a
major role in meeting the renewable energy objectives set by Member States for 2030.”
*By the Carbon Trust, as cited by WindEurope in its Floating offshore wind vision statement
Based on a report
commissioned by the
Scottish government,
floating wind turbines
account for 80% of
wind energy potential
in Europe*
6
Floatgen: a landmark undertaking for
offshore wind turbines
A new generation is underway. The Floatgen
project marks a new first for offshore wind power:
the floating wind turbine, capable of generating 2
MW of energy and currently being prepared for
deployment off the coast of Croisic at the École
Centrale de Nantes SEM-REV trial site. This turbine
will be deployed for an initial period of two years,
and the electricity produced sent directly to the
electrical grid for this entire duration. The turbine
will produce the equivalent of the annual
consumption of 5,000 inhabitants.
An opportunity to confirm the performance of
floating wind turbines. The Floatgen project was
designed as a starting point for the development of
commercial floating wind farms.
Its objectives: to confirm the technical feasibility
and the economic viability of floating wind turbines,
and to prove that Ideol's technological solution is
the most competitive on the market.
As the first demonstration unit for Ideol's floating
base technology, it has provided, and will continue
to provide, the consortium partners with an
unparalleled experience, particularly in terms of
construction methods, deployment, and operation,
in addition to its value as a showcase model for future export.
7
Key data for the project
Ideol's singular, patented float technology Fitted with a Damping Pool®
system and built using reinforced and prestressed concrete by Bouygues TP,
the Floatgen wind turbine float measures 36 metres per side and 9.5 metres in
height (with a 7.5 metre draught). Floatgen is the first demonstration unit of
this particular technology.
A 2MW wind turbine (Vestas V80) with a rotor diameter of 80 metres (blades
each measuring 40 metres). The turbine tower is attached to the float using an
adapter and measures 60 metres in height, inclusive of the adapter.
A world first in anchoring The Floatgen’s semi-slack anchoring system (to keep
the turbine in the correct position) is innovative in its use of synthetic fibres
(nylon) as opposed to chains. A world first for permanent anchoring at this
scale (6 anchoring lines).
A multi-technology offshore test site
The wind turbine will be deployed in SEM-REV, the first test site situated off
the coast of Croisic, and a cutting-edge multi-technology testing site for
renewable marine energy connected to the French electrical grid (operated by
the École Centrale de Nantes and supported by the CNRS). The test site is
located 12 nautical miles (22 km) off the shoreline and has a depth of 33
metres.
Putting Ideol's floating base to the test under strenuous ocean and climate
conditions
The ocean and climate conditions at the SEM-REV site, with their maximum
wave height (Hmax) of 16 metres and very shallow dispersion, are particularly
treacherous, thereby acting as the perfect proving ground for the deployment
of the system under the most demanding environmental conditions.
8
Floatgen has brought together the biggest names in industry and academics. 7 partners from across
Europe, including 3 French companies (Ideol, Bouygues Travaux Publics, and the École Centrale de
Nantes), have joined forces to provide their respective areas of expertise. The floating base
technology (also known by its patented name Damping Pool® – see the attached data sheet)
developed by Ideol, lead partner in the consortium, has been at the core of the project since 2013.
IDEOL (Coordinator – France)
Responsible for engineering the overall floating system (anchoring, float,
export cable), providing the wind turbine and offshore deployment
ÉCOLE CENTRALE DE NANTES (France)
Contributed its oceanographic expertise and use of the SEM-REV trial site
off the coast of Croisic, in addition to providing and implementing the
anchoring system
BOUYGUES TRAVAUX PUBLICS (France)
Responsible for the manufacturing engineering, construction, and floating
of the base from the Saint-Nazaire port
RSK GROUP (United Kingdom)
Contributed the environmental impact analysis for the float system
ZABALA (Spain)
Responsible for managing the consortium as well as ensuring internal
communication for the project
STUTTGART UNIVERSITY (Germany)
Contributed interlinked digital simulations and assessed the measurement
campaign
FRAUNHOFER-IWES (Germany)
Provided the benchmark between the Floatgen floating system and other
comparable floating solutions
French government funds the Floatgen project at 9.1 M€ through tow mechanisms : « Programme
d’Investissement d’Avenir » (PIA) and PIA-SEMREV for the anchoring system (supported by Ecole
Centrale de Nantes), for an amount respectively of 5.7 M€ and 3.4 M€.
9
Innovative in every way Compact and competitive, Ideol's floating
base is at the heart of the innovation involved
in the Floatgen project. Designed around
Ideol's patented Damping Pool® technology,
the floating base system features a ring-
shaped central opening for optimal stability at
a lower cost owing to its particular
hydrodynamic properties.
The Ideol solution used is founded in its
proven expertise in both the offshore oil
sector (meeting offshore standards and
regulations) as well as offshore wind energy
(the use of standard wind turbines with no
major modifications required).
This means that the floating wind turbine can be deployed from a depth of 30 metres, and thanks to
its compactness, is completely aligned with the new generation of large-scale turbines (12-15 MW)
available on the market,
The whole of the design used has been assessed and certified by an independent third-party
classification society.
The Ideol solution is the most simple, the most compact, and engineered to be the most competitive
on the market.
Floatgen will be the first offshore wind turbine deployed using Ideol technology, prior to the
deployment of an additional unit in Japan during the summer of 2018 (for more information see Ideol's
dedicated literature on this subject).
Bouygues Travaux Publics has contributed to the project with its innovative use of lightweight
concrete and completely original construction methods. Using concrete as the main material for the
construction of the Ideol floating base is a remarkable fact, and makes it stand out from all other
floating solutions on the market, which use steel. Bouygues Travaux Publics (Bouygues Public Works),
who were assigned the construction of the base, have developed a bespoke lightweight self-
compacting concrete formula for this purpose.
The innovative qualities are featured in the construction methods of the demonstration unit developed
by Bouygues. To better adapt to existing port infrastructures, the solution selected consisted of
building the floating base on top of three reinforced barges moored next to the quay. The base and
barges were then towed to the Joubert lock located next to the entrance to the port where the base
was finally floated.
10
Semi-slack nylon cables, a world first in permanent anchorage. Experience gained from the offshore
industry has helped the École Centrale de Nantes and Ideol develop the specific features required to
create such an innovative anchoring system. Rather than using the traditional chains to manufacture
the anchoring lines, Ideol, as the designer of the system, and the École Centrale de Nantes, as the
supplier of the system have opted for nylon, a synthetic fibre, with its excellent resistance. LeBéon
Manufacturing was selected to provide this innovative system alongside two industrial partners from
the offshore sector: Bexco, a Belgian company specialising in synthetic fibres and Dai-Han, a South
Korean company specialising in chains.
Aside from its innovative qualities, the use of nylon lines has also meant that the high costs normally
associated with anchoring systems have been greatly reduced.
The local SEM-REV trial site is the first offshore multi-technology testing site in the world for
renewable marine energy. The SEM-REV platform, designed to be a global standard, is a cooperative
research tool capable of deployment demonstration units, pilot units, and offshore energy recovery
(wind energy, wave energy) units at a 1:1 scale under real-life conditions. Researchers and industrial
manufacturers therefore have all of the resources required to test prototypes prior to their industrial
operation.
The SEM-REV includes an onshore station (research station and electrical substation), an export cable
(20kV and 24 fibre optic), a 1 km² delineated offshore area with all administrative authorisations
granted, an underwater electrical connection station with three simultaneous connections, and
meteorological and oceanographic instrumentation (for reading wind, waves, currents, and local
parameters).
The site is operated by the École Centrale de Nantes and the CNSR, and is fitted with all relevant
equipment in order that renewable marine energy production systems (floating wind turbines, wave
energy) can be implemented offshore under actual conditions. The SEM-REV was officially launched
on 25 August 2015 in Croisic (Loire-Atlantique). Originally launched in 2007 under the 2007-2013 State-
Region project contract, this visionary project has an overall budget of around EUR 20 million. A
number of leading partners such as the Pays de la Loire Regional Government (EUR 9.9 million), the
French Government, and the Loire-Atlantique Department Government have contributed to date a
total of EUR 17 million to the project.The project is a key element in the Pays de la Loire's renewable
marine energy strategy and a decisive asset in the development of this new national industry. SEM-
REV will also provide initial and on-going training in the sector of renewable marine energy, particularly
in the operations of deployment, maintenance, and dismantling.
11
Floatgen: the floating wind turbine firmly
anchored in its region of origin
70 jobs in Saint-Nazaire were directly secured by the construction of the floating base. In comparison
to other steel floating bases, which are imported from abroad, the concrete base selected by Ideol
has meant construction has stayed as close as possible to the deployment site. The construction
techniques developed and implemented by Bouygues Travaux Publics were firmly entrenched in the
local economy, with adaptation to the host
port made easier.
Construction at the Saint-Nazaire port,
which is located several dozen kilometres
from the deployment site, was therefore a
natural and optimal solution from an
infrastructure and logistics standpoint. Saint-
Nazaire is particularly renowned for its
dynamic industry experience and, from a
socio-economic standpoint, constructing the
project in this location would bring a number
of benefits to the community.
The mooring system was
manufactured by LeBéon
Manufacturing in Morbihan. Within a
tendering framework, the École
Centrale de Nantes alongside Ideol,
designer of the mooring system,
awarded the contract for the
manufacture of system elements to
LeBéon Manufacturing (a consortium
involving Bexco as supplier of the
nylon anchoring lines). The majority of
forged workpieces are manufactured
in their Plouay plant in Morbihan.
12
Using local suppliers for all other components. For the majority of all other components or logistical
activities, the Floatgen Partners have opted for suppliers within the Saint-Nazaire region, such as
Artelia (project management), Ceteal (technical studies), Point P - Trouillard (concrete), Shipelec
